Newspaper Page Text
July 13, 2016
iReporter
PAGE 7C
Carolyn’s Corner
We stand with our officers as they stand for us
BY CAROLYN
MARTEL
ads@mymcr.net
L ast week was a
troubling, heart
breaking week
[for our nation.
Americans
were shocked, outraged
and saddened
by the murder of
five Dallas police
officers and the
wounding of seven
other officers. Two
civilians were also
wounded in the
violent turmoil.
Law officers were
protecting citizens
during a peaceful
march to protest
police-related
shootings of two
black men in
Minnesota and
Louisiana when a sniper
opened fire on police offi
cers. They were murdered
in a cold-blooded ambush
by a man who had deep
seated hatred for whites
and white officers, accord
ing to official sources.
I will leave the analysis
of the shooting and the
ongoing investigation of
the Dallas tragedy for
others to report. I want
to focus on the remarks
made by Dallas Police
Chief David Brown. The
impassioned plea of Chief
Brown was eloquent and
gut wrench
ing at the
same time.
In the wake
of the hor
rific tragedy
in Dallas,
Chief Brown
said, “We’re
hurting.
Our profes
sion is hurt
ing. Dallas
officers are
hurting. We
are heart
broken.
There are no words to
describe the atrocity that
occurred to our city. All
I know is that this must
stop. This divisiveness
between our police and
our citizens,” Brown said.
“We don’t feel much sup
port most days. Let’s not
make today most days.
We need your support to
be able to protect you from
men like these.”
His words, “We don’t
feel much support most
days,” haunts my soul.
This sentiment expressed
by Chief Brown needs to
resonate in communities
across this nation. The
morale of police officers is
important and they need
to see and feel the support
of the public they serve.
Yes, there are some who
should never wear the
uniform, but there are
bad apples in any group,
whether it’s corrupt politi
cians, lousy college profes
sors or dishonest men and
women in any profession.
The majority of law offi
cers are good, upstanding
citizens who only want
to serve and protect their
communities.
Chief Brown’s com
mentary not only touched
my heart, his words also
struck a chord in the heart:
of publisher Will Davis.
In the midst of the Dallas
atrocity, he contacted
me and said, “We need
to reach out to our com
munity and invite them
to express their support
for our local and national
law enforcement officers.”
We immediately jumped
into action. Davis began
posting what we wanted
to do on the Reporter’s
Facebook page and I sent
out emails and talked to
as many community lead
ers and business owners
as I could, before our press
deadline.
Many contacted me
before I had a chance
to reach them. Caring
citizens like John and
Ruby Cannon, Mac and
Beth Brown, Jimmy
and Florence Pace and
others called and said,
“Count us in.” Dr. Clell
Morris thanked me for
letting him know what
the Reporter was doing.
Dr. Morris and other
leaders agreed that we
needed to come together
as a community to show
our support! Monroe
County commissioner
John Ambrose summed
up what many were feel
ing. Ambrose said, “I
wholeheartedly support
our local law enforcement
officers!” You can read his
entire message of support
in the Reporter’s special
Law Enforcement Support
pages. I encourage you to
do so.
There is one thing I
will never forget about
this experience. What is
it? I will never forget the
angst I heard in some
voices as they expressed
their concern for our law
enforcement officers who
put their lives on the line
everyday. It was remi
niscent of the grief and
outrage expressed over
the loss of Deputy Michael
Norris who was killed in
the line of duty and the
wounding of Deputy Jeff
Wilson in 2014. It’s an
understandable uneasi
ness in the aftermath of
the Dallas carnage and
to hear news reports
the next day that police
officers were wounded
in shootings in Georgia,
Tennessee and Missouri.
So far in 2016, 56 U.S. law
enforcement officers have
died in the line of duty,
28 of whom were killed by
gunfire, according to data
from the Officer Down
Memorial Page.
In this week’s Reporter,
our readers will see spe
cial designated pages that
reflect the outpouring of
community support for all
of our law enforcement
officers. One last thought:
One of the best ways
to show support for our
police officers is to pray for
them. They place a hedge
of protection around us
everyday. Let’s place a
hedge of protection around
them by being faithful
to lift them up in prayer
to our Heavenly Father
everyday! In these peril
ous times, may God be our
refuge and strength and a
very present help in time
of trouble. (Psalms 46:1)
Carolyn Martel is the
advertising manager and
regular columnist for the
Reporter. E-mail her at
ads@mymcr.net.
City finishing $1 million Bunn Rd. water line
BY DIANE
GLIDEWELL
news@mymcr. net
The city of Forsyth is
finishing a $1 million
water line project on
Hwy. 18 and Bunn Road
that will give the city a
back-up water supply
from the county.
The city’s payment on
that project was part of
$545,910 in bills council
approved on July 5. City
manager Janice Hall told
council that this should
be the only payment on for $206,342. Hall told
the project that the city
will need to make before
funds are released from
a Georgia Environmental
Finance Authority
(GEFA) loan for it.
On March 7 councila-
warded the contract for
laying the lines for the
Bunn Road project to
Mid-South Builders for
$770,867 and the con
tract to Pyles Plumbing
& Utility Contractors
for the booster pumps
council the project was
approved in June 2013 to
tie on to county lines as a
backup if the city needed
water in an emergency or
if new industry needed a
large water supply.
Mayor Eric Wilson said
the city does not plan to
use the lines in the near
future, but they give the
city the ability to expand
its water capacity and
also give it a backup if
there is a problem with
the city’s water. He said
the city engineer sug
gested the million dollar
project as a way to be
ready for growth. Wilson
said the GEFA loan
will be re-paid from the
city’s general fund. He
said that on peak days
Forsyth’s water system
is at 70 percent capacity
and this will give the city
room to grow.
The $545,910 in city
bills presented by Hall to
council included $373,465
for water and sewer.
The bills were paid with
$471,025 from the
city’s general fund and
$74„885 from SPLOST
funds. Hall told council
that there were two
payments to Utility
Partners, Inc., which
manages Forsyth’s
water and sewer, because
of a missed payment in
May.
Council did not ask
any questions about the
$545,910 in invoices or
discuss them before vot
ing to pay them.
Church Calendar continued from Page 4C
members, in conjunc
tion with Circle of Care,
will distribute food
packages provided by
the Macon Food Bank
on Wednesday, July
20. Volunteers to help
unload the truck and/or
assemble and distribute
food are needed at 10
a.m. at Christ United
Methodist, 417 North
Frontage Road (next
to the Farm Bureau).
Recipients need advance
approval to receive this
once a month food distri
bution. Contact Circle of
Care at 478-994-4939 for
eligibility. For additional
information, call Christ
UMC at- 478-994-1232 or
Circle of Care.
July 20-22, 24
St. Phillip AME
has revival &
homecoming
St. Phillip A.M.E.
Church family, 36
Old Fort- Valley Road,
Culloden will have
Three Night- Annual
Summer Revival
Wednesday-Friday,
July 20-22 at- 7:30 p.m.
nightly. The guest-
preacher will be the
Rev. Dexter A. Jordan,
pastor of Stone-Creek
Baptist Church in Dry
Branch. St. Phillip AME
will wrap up the week
of worship and praise
on Sunday, July 24 with
the Annual Homecoming
Service at- 2 p.m. The
speaker will be Rev.
Ed Searcy Jr. of Mt.
Moriah Baptist Church
in Thomaston. Attire
for the week, including
Homecoming, is casual
and comfortable. All are
invited to attend any or
all services.
July 23
Jesus Troupe
Ministry performs
gospel play
The Jesus Troupe
Ministry of Fayetteville,
N.C. will perform the
gospel play “Search My
Heart- O God” at- New
Providence Baptist-
Church on Saturday,
July 23 at- 7 p.m. The
special guest- choir will
feature the St. Luke
Missionary Baptist
Church, Pastor Rev.
Emory Light-foot-, Jr.
Tickets are $10 and
can be purchased from
Cynthia Moore, Kim
Walton or NPBC. Call
478-994-1542, 478-994-
5552 or 478-994-2545.
Mrs. Vivian Thomas is
the writer, director and
solo artist. All of the
songs on the CD were
written by her except-
for ‘Amazing Grace’ and
‘Jesus Loves Me.’ This
event- is a fundraiser
for the St. Paul AME
Church, Smarr, the
Jesus Troupe, Inc. and
New Providence Baptist-
Church.
Six-Eleven
Foundation holds
concert & school
supply giveaway
The Six-Eleven
Foundation will host
its annual Back2School
Gospel Benefit- Concert-
and Free School Supply
Giveaway for children
on Saturday, July 23.
The event- will begin at- 4
p.m. at- Courts of Praise
AOH Church of God,
99 Powerhouse Road,
Forsyth. Visit- Facebook
to hear the story
behind The Six-Eleven
Foundation at www.
facebook.com/sixeleven-
foundation
July 24, 31
Wrights Grove
Baptist has Men’s
Day and Super
Sunday
Wrights Grove Baptist-
Church family, 3056
Old Atlanta Hwy.,
Forsyth invites all to
worship on Sunday
mornings at- 10 a.m.
On Sunday, July 24 at
2:30 p.m. the church
will have Men’s Day
Celebration. Messenger
Rev. MacArt-hur Childs,
pastor of Mt. Gilead
(Forsyth) and Mary
Lizzie (Thomaston)
Baptist- Churches will
be the special guest.
Sunday, July 31 at-
10 a.m. will be Super
Sunday (Family &
Friends’ Day).
July 24
Sharon Primitive
Baptist has 189th
Homecoming
Sharon Primitive
Baptist- Church, 5827
Hwy. 83, Culloden will
celebrate its 189th
Homecoming on Sunday,
July 24. Services will
start- at- 11 a.m. with
lunch in the fellow
ship hall following the
morning service. All are
invited.
Remember When
This look at what Monroe County residents were reading in the
Reporter 30, 20 and 10 years ago this week is brought to you by...
Monroe County
Memorial Chapel
We set the standards
that others follow 1
Harley Ray",Spanky" Beck
86 West Main Street • Forsyth
478-994-4266
1986
1996
The Correctional Facility
at- the Georgia Public Safety
Training Center in Forsyth
will be named after the late
state representative A.L. “Al”
Burruss.
The water supply at- Rocky
Creek went- dry last- week; the
creek level was so low water
could not- be drawn through the
pumps.
Approximately 8,000 chickens
die due to high heat- at- farms
associated with the Strain
Poultry Company hatchery in
Monroe County.
Stephens Paving Company’s
bid of $1,086,630 for work
on the county Recreation
Department-—the only bid
placed in time for the bid open
ing—is deemed too high by two
county commissioners.
State Rep. Kenneth Waldrep of
Forsyth is named to a legislative
committee to investigate com
pensation for citizens who incur
property damage caused by wild
deer.
Beginning Saturday, Tift-
College will host- 37 students
from Seinan Jo Gakuin, Tift’s
sister school in Japan.
About- 100 Monroe Count-ians
welcome the U.S. Men’s Olympic
Rowing Team at- the Forsyth
Holiday Inn.
As Monroe County school
enrollment- grows, a twelfth
kindergarten class is added to
Hubbard Primary School.
The 150-employee Ingles on
Tift- College Drive opened on
Sunday.
The Monroe County School
Board discusses state
ments added to the Hubbard
Elementary School handbook,
including the “Do RIGHT Plan”
that- features a zero-tolerance
policy for fighting.
The Georgia Society Sons
of the American Revolution
is seeking help in identifying
gravesites of 28 Revolutionary
War soldiers likely buried in
Monroe County.
John and Julie Hightower of
Thomaston are preparing to
bike 600 miles across Botswana
to help build 20 houses as
Habitat- for Humanity volun
teers.
Culloden will hold its second
town reunion on Saturday.
There will be a parade, live
music and crafts vendors.
2006
Forsyth City Council post
pones rezoning nine parcels of
land that would allow construc
tion of the proposed Walmart:
SuperCenter.
Forsyth Walmart- manager J.P.
Set-toon presents Mary Persons
Principal Joe Parlier with a
check for $1,000. The grant-
will be used for MP’s English
Department-
The St. Jude Dream Home in
Lizella opens one last- time for
tours. $100 buys a ticket for
a chance to win the $325,000
house.
The Monroe County Sheriffs
Office CARE (Child Abuse
Reporting Enforcement) Cottage
is the 2006 recipient- of the
National Sheriffs’ Association
Crime Victim Services Award.
A 19-year-old Forsyth man
will spend four more Saturdays
picking up garbage after dump
ing two bags of trash on George
Wilson’s property on Zellner
Road.